Bottom of
Fantasy Ridge: it starts with a steep technical climb and then with an
awkward almost horizontal pitch before some elevation is gain.

Dave Watson, Mountain Guide and Everest Summiter:

Hey
EverestNews.com, Hello Everyone, We are in Nylam and feeling great. The drive
from Zhangmu was really pretty. There was snow in places we have never seen
before. Avalanches had blocked the road last week and the locals did an
amazing job clearing the road. There were two spots in particular were the
walls of snow on the side of the road were 20 ft tall! The food is so much
better here than in 2004, so were eating lots and often. Last week 10 ft of
snow fell here! Winter is still among us. Although the snow is melting fast
in the blazing Himalayan sun there is still plenty to ski. Today I pulled the
skis out of the truck and headed for the hills. George came along to shoot
some video.

It was a
nice way to get some exercise and acclimatize a bit. We went up to 15,000 ft
and then the clouds came in around us so we started the descent. The snow was
really wet and heavy, a bit rotten, so turning was difficult without speed. I
tried to be cautious because of random rocks lurking beneath the surface, but
the conditions demanded speed. I was happy to oblige. Leaving Vermont in
prime ski season leaves me with the feeling of unfinished business. It felt
so good to speed downhill. Tomorrow we leave for Tingri and will finally be
able to set eyes on the mother goddess. I don't think there are any internet
cafes in Tingri so I will most likely be talking to you again from Base Camp
when we get our electronics rolling. Hope your all having fun, we are! Dave

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